Railroad crosstie



May 1, 1928.

H. A. WILLS RAILROAD CROSSTIE 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Filed A32. 14. 1926 mmw May 1, 1928; 1,668,181

H. A. WILLS RAILROAD CROSSTIE Filed Auz.14, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY May 1, 1928.

H. A. WILLS RAILROAD CROSSTIE Filed Auz. 14, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l l T INV OR ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1928.

" astries sirarri ejs 'JBATENT tormen- "grams '4. i rnfsii rrnLn, NEW JERSEY.

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Application filed August 14,-;1-926. Serial-5N0. 129,164.

.in irai-lroad cross ties;- w a The invention -relates :to n-ii'anpnovement 1 If wood? were as 1 durable and. as wear, re-

; =sistant as rein forced'concrete would make -ciall v 'reiui orced concreteli -C0ncrete :used

aloneaassza isolid cross itie is impraotic'al because zit does not ipossess the neeessary.-resiliency; 'Moreover; the stone:lil e;-inature mi concreteiprevents the :use 'ofy ordinary spikes forholdingithe rails. For these and iother. reasons concrete crossties unless .combined with more or less expensive metalappliances fi1' mot used; The usual type of reinforced concrete cross ties proposed-as a substitute for wood "crossties comprises two concrete end blocks each located vunder a rail and connected-together by :metal' bars or istrips sorarrangedas toafford a fiexibleveonnection between the two concrete-blocks. The purpose of this flexible:metalconnection between the concrete "bearing blocks is to permit each block to respond to the load conditionson its track withoutaffecting the other block. This construction has not proved entirely satisfactory. The steel 'or iron of which these parts are usually constructed readily rusts, thereby preventing relative movement between the parts supposed to yield'or hinge on'each'other, with consequent damaging results to the-concrete, 'which breaks orv cracks under the stresses imposed on it by the rigid connectingimetal. Even where the flexible metal connecting does not rust, it is unsatist'acmry .because it permits the concrete blocks to tip relatively to-each other .:and destroy the gaugc'of the track. 1

The :general object of :the present (invention isto producean improved railroad cross tie of 'suclrconstruction that. it will possess all the advantages of an all .wood tie, with the additional advantagepossessed by reinforced concrete. A more specific object of the invention is to produce a railroad cross dtie' of concreteEbearingiblocksfsoiconnected as -.-to, afford {the proper amount of relative movement between them without imposing a-criaoking or breaking strain upon .them,-.

and without penmitting them -to move --far ienough' ;-to .destroy the :gauge. of :the :track. Another -obg';ect of the invention is to .sim- .plify !the construction -.ofrailroad :cross ties of.-this type-so ,that they may be kept .in."

effective operation with-less labor :andin- .spection thanis requiredfor .keeping .either the all. ,wood rties, -or r'the .nomhination metal- 2 concrete rties, gas 3 heretofore .construoted, .in

efleetive oondition. still further. object ofitheinvention is to construct the :rail supporting part-,of.the.cross tie in such manner .thatthewear or thrust-blocks or parts may beqreadiliy. .replaced iand at a minimum .of cost :both for laborand for the parts re placed. To rthese ends .theinvention con- .sists in .the improvedrailroad cross tie-here- .inafter fully; .described and particularly pointed out in the-appended claims.

In .the accompanying drawingsillustrat ing..-the preferred form .of the invention, Figs .1 is .a longitudinal section through the improved railroadzcross tie .taken .along the dine 1'-1 of.Fig.:.2, with certain parts shown .in side elevation; Fig. :2 is a .top ,plan of the -,parts shown .in .Fig. 1.; Fig..3'is a side ele- .vation of one .of the reinforced concrete blocks orqbases and its associated parts; Fig. A is a transverse .section taken along the line -4--4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 isa side elevation of I a modified form of the improved railroad -.cross-tie; Fig. 6 visa view similar to Fig. 5, .but with the concrete blocksshown in .longitudinal section; Fig. 7 is a-topplan of the -modified form of the invention .of Figs. 5 and 6, showing extra wide concrete blocks having two connecting pieces; .Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section,-of.another modified form of theinvention; Fig.9 .is a

top planof a form of the invention shown in Fig. .8, the concrete blocks being wide enough to'supportthree tie plates; Fig. .10 is a section :taken along the .line 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a .section taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 9,; Fig. 12 is-aside eleva- .tion, .partly in section of another modified .formof the invention;.and Fig. 13 is atop ,plan of the cross tie shown in Fig. 12.

The improved, railroad cross tie illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, showing the preferred form of the invention, comprises two reinforced concrete blocks or bases 15-and 16 adapt ed to be located under the rails 17 and 18, respectively. In order to afford the proper support for the rails 17 and 18 the concrete blocks 15 and 16 are much wider and are deeper than the average all wood tie, and

teen inches on each side of the rail. To prevent the ballast from spreading and working out from under the concrete blocks, the

"edges of the bottom surfaces of the latter are provided with a. peripheral downwardly extending flange 20 by which the material of the road bed is prevented from working out in any direction from the recessedb'ottoms 21 of the concrete blocks.

The concrete blocks 15 and 16 are held together to constitute the end portions of a single cross tie by means of a wood connecting piece 23. The connecting piece 23 is in all respects like the usual all wood cross tie, except that it is much smaller in crosssection and is not so long as the all wood tie, projecting only a short distance at each end beyond the rails 17 and 18, as shown in Fig. 1. This all wood connecting piece for the concrete blocks permits them to have that movement relatively to each other under the varying load conditions to which they are subjected without imposing a breaking or cracking strain upon them. Moreover, the use of this all wood connecting piece affords the same facility for fastening the rails to the cross tie as is afforded by the usual all wood cross tie.

The connecting piece is received at its ends within the-recessed inner facing ends 24. and 25 of the blocks 15 and 16. The connecting piece 23 being substantially rectangular in cross-section. the recesses 26 in the concrete blocks are substantially rectangular in crosssection and extend outwardly into the blocks far enough to accommodate the bolts 27 by which the ends of the connecting piece are secured in the outer ends of the concrete blocks. The recesses are sunk deep enough into the concrete blocks to bury the upper surface 28 of the connecting piece below the upper surface 29 of the concrete blocks so as to provide space for a wear piece or block 30 composed of wood and superposed upon each end of the connecting piece 23. The Wear pieces 30 are Sunk fully half their depth in the upper part of the recesses 26 and are prevented from spreading laterally under the load-imposed on the rails by means of the upper lateral sides of the concrete blocks bounding the recesses 26. The outer ends 32 of each concrete block extend upwardly to act as thrust surfaces for the outerzends of the connecting piece 23 and of the wear pieces 30. The upper surfaces of the outer ends 32 of the concrete blocks are substantially flush with the upper surfaces of the wear pieces 30. The outer bolts 27 and the inner bolts 33 holding the wear pieces against the outer ends of the connecting piece 23 and the latter in position in the concrete blocks pass through alined holes in the wear pieces and the connecting piece and are threaded at their lower ends into the nuts 34 embedded in the bottoms of the concrete blocks. Bushings 35 which may be composed of sections of pipe may be conveniently embedded in the concrete blocks-above the nuts 34 to form holes alining with" the holes in the wear pieces 30 and the connecting piece 23. Since there is no direct pressure of the load upon that portion of the wear pieces and the connecting piece through which the bolts 27 and 33 penetrate there is no tendency of the bolts to shear and they remain tight, with only occasional attention, throughout the life of the wear pieces 30.

Y The wear pieces 30 are relatively short in length, extending from the ends of the connecting piece 23 only to the inner ends of the concrete blocks 15 and 16, or a little beyond, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are only of the requisite thickness to withstand properly the thrust of the tie plates 37 under the action of the load imposed on the rails 17 and 18. The wear plates 37 are provided on the outer ends of their upper surfaces with the upraised lips 38 adapted to bear against the outer edges of the bases of the rails, and are provided on their lower surfaces with the lateral downwardly extending flanges 39 which tightly embrace and hold the lateral edges of the wear pieces 30 and thereby prevent the latter from spreading under the action of the load. Each tie plate 37 is provided with the four square holes 40 to accommodate the usual spikes 41 which are used to hold the bases 42 of the rails 17 and 18 in place on the tie plates. The spikes 41 are of usual length and are driven into the Wear pieces 30 and the ends of the connecting piece 33, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The combined thickness of the connecting piece 23 and wear pieces 30 is such that the lower ends of the spikes 41, when the wear pieces 30 are new, are separated from the bottom of the recesses 26 a distance sufficient to permit the spikes to be driven deeper into the connecting piece 23 as the wear pieces 30 wear aiway under the actionof the'load'on 'the rails. i 1

'The improvetl raih oa'd cross =tie described :above :will the =seen to have all the advantages 6 of an all wood cross tie :as to 'resiliency and the means *for-holdin' the -'ordi-na1-y rail-fasteners in :place, comgined with all the advantages afforded by reinforced concrete 'bea-ring olooks "or bases. il he' railroad :voross who as thus eonstructed'requires but little :attentionwvhile -in use, and that =from on'ly unskilled labor. XV-hen the "-wear pieces "30 become -worn slightly -undcr the action of the load on'the rails, =it is'simp'ly necessary In to drive down the=spikcs 1 1-deepei"into the connecting piece 23.

' When the wear --pieees 30 have become -so badly'worn that thelowerendsr'oftlre spikes 4 1 touch the bottoms df the recesses 126 in "the concrete blocks, unskilled labor can be availed -df to replace *the wear pieces, since it is iOII'hy necessary to remove the spikes and the ibdlts 27 and 68"withou't distunbing the position of either concreteblock or *the con- 26 =necting'pieee '-23,-or the oppositeavear piece.

The renewal-of the avear pieces will usually be efl'ected without i' etamping the ballast under the concrete blocks, since the hinges on the latter hold the bailast'in place. Elie 30 worn out-wear pieces 30 ane-"moved inwardly from under the rails-and 'the'new'wear pieces shoved into *their 'lace. These =new wear pieces will be provided with holes alining with the holes in the ends of the connecting piece 23. The bolts 27 and 33 may thereupon be replaced and when the tie plates 37 have been placed under the bases of the rails it is simply necessary to drive in the spikes 41. It is thus seen that no skilled labor is required in reconditioning the cross tic of the present invention and that it can be done with far less cost for labor and ma terial than it is possible to replace or recondition all wood ties.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the concrete blocks or bases 45 and 46 are wide enough to accommodate two connecting pieces 47. For some conditionsof road surface it is desirable to use these double blocks rather than the single block shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For still other conditions of road surface it has beenfound desirable to use the extra wide concrete blocks 48 and 49, shown in Fig. 9, connected by two connecting pieces 50. providing space between them for a third tie plate 51.

In the form of the invention shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the recesses 52 in the blocks for the accommodation of the connecting pieces 47 extend throughout the length of the blocks, and the connecting pieces 47 extend from the outer end of one concrete block 45 to the outer end of the other concrete block 46. In this form of the invention the WOOd -connecting-rpieces iare iover'laid [by a wood "Wear .piece .63 asubstantially .-as along as each 'connecting piece, as shown in :Figs. 5-"81Ud 6. Dhe wear1pieccs'63 and connectin pieces '47 are 'proavided with .ali'nin'g 70 ho' s which register with ithe nuts 154mmbedded in the bottoms of the concrete b'locks 'a nd tll-P3lt$ aresecured togeth'er ."bymeans -df tne ho'lts '55. The tie plates 1-56 I for-fthe rai'ls occup-y -aposition overthe anedia-l line ffi of I the concrete blocks :so #that :the load-Will be evenly-distributed-throughout theirfilower surfaces.

' In the form lof the invention: shown in .Eigs. 8 and -9 "the concretelblocks have :subistantially#the same constructionzas theblocks slrown .in Fig. -7, except that' spaceds provided at their middle portions for the: third the plate 551. In this forn of the invention the *tie plates 57 are made long enough to receive =the bolts 58 which secure the-wear pieces 59 and theconnectihg pieces 50 to the concrete-Ililocks 48and-49. Whhe-avean'pieces. .59 in--*this form :e'ftheinvention -'extend from *tlie endsof the "connecting pieces 50 l-to the 'middle' thereof endure joined to :the connecting piecegat this point by means :of the 'plate *61. 'Iin this formof the invention when the outer :ends off the "wear 1 pieces .59 become worn they can he removed and turned --'en'(i i-for end. the former cuter ends overlying :the middle-cf the connecting pieces 50 and the former inner ends serving to support the tie plates 57. For this purpose each wear piece 59 is provided with the extra hole 62, which, with the hole through which the screw 61 passes, serves to accommodate the bolts 58 in the new position of the wear piece. Since the middle portions of the concrete blocks 48 and 49 are not joined by a connecting piece 50 it is only necessary to provide this part of the blocks with a relatively shallow recess to accommodate the relatively thin wear piece 64, which is only as long as the concrete blocks. To accommodate the lower ends of the spikes wood blocks 65 are embedded in the bottom of the recess 66.

In its general arrangement the form of the invention shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is similar to that shown in Figs. 5 and 6, except that in this case the outer ends 68 of the concrete blocks 69 and 70 extend upwardly to serve as thrust surfaces for the connecting piece 71. In this form of the invention, also, I prefer to use the elongated tie plates 72 which are held in place on the long wear piece 73 by means of the bolts 74 which secure the wear piece 73 and the connecting piece 71 to the concrete blocks 69 and 70. In order that the end of the connecting piece 71 and the wear piece 73 may not move laterally in the concrete blocks the latterare provided with the upwardly extending sides 75, which closely embrace the lateral sides of the-wood pieces. -The -:1niddle portions of these upwardly. extending-sides. of #1116 concrete-blocks are recessed nth- 76 toe-coolnmodate the downwardly extending: flanges 77 on the middle partsof the tie plates 72.

Ha ving thus described the invention-wind Iclain'i as new is; 1-. J 5 1. A railroad cross tie comprising. concrete blocks substantially. rectangular tin cr0ss-seetion and liaving oi1'.;tliei1'- inner ends a substantially --recta ngular recess,--a;v wood connecting piecesubstantially rectangular in cross-section mounted at its ends in therecesses in the concrete 'blocksand extending from beyond one rail.-to beyond-the other, the, connecting piece being of; less depth: than the recesses in the concrete-blocks, and a -relatively short wood wearpiece superposed on each end of the connectingxp ece and embraced laterally by theltsides of therecesses vin the concrete blocks, -saifd tear ,pieces being-located. ;under, therails. and beingremovably secured to ithe eonnectingzpiece. -2...A railroad cross tieifcomprisingg two concrete blocks recessed 'in'gltheir inner taeing ends to receiye tl-ie ends-of acojnnecting piece, a wood connecting; piece substantially smaller in -I cr0ss-sectio1'iT;t-han the; concrete blocks and extending from beyond one rail to beyond the other and supported at its-ends in the recesses i'n thejc'oncrete ;-blocks, the connecting piece being of, lessdcp-ththan-the recesses fin the blocks,,a relatively short -i ees iei wood wear pieceisnperposed on eeoh end of the connecting piece and located underv the jIfl/IIS, -I neafns .for iremovably secnning' 2 the wear pieces xandsthe 5 connecting l-p'iece to the concretei'blocks, a metal tie plate superposed piecesto prexzentj lateral spreadingthereof,

"and means ,fQr, Securing the tieplates' to; the :wear=-p1eces-;-a/nd fconnectingepiecei A- vrailroad. cross; tie; comprising; c ncrete blocks-adapted to. be located nnd'er therails and hayingpntheirinner-feces an elongated recess substantially rectangular 4 in -cross-sec.t i0'n,:: ;a--,wood-; connecting; piece substantially. T rectangular cross-section mounted at.-its. ;ends ,the =recesses in the concrete.qbloeksgiand extendingfrom -Kbjel -yoi'1d one.-,rail to beyondithe otherga rela- ;tively-.- short wood-,wear piece supeuposed on eaclmend. of; ,the-con'neeting; p'1ece,- ,t he weai'..pieces, eacl1-;connecting piece and the concrete blocks being provided. on" each side of the rail ,with a,-.hol'e aliningQwiththe holes 5 in 1 the other, parts, nutsembedded j n the: bottoms of .thelconcrete blocks in -alinenient with the: holes therein,; ant-Lbolts for securing the 1 wear pieces and the connecting piece to the concrete blocks, said bolts being threaded'into the nuts in the concretet blocks. f ,.-HA R.OLDA.WILLS., 

